mab wrote:Out of interest, is the live version of Stone Cold Crazy as released as the b-side of the The Miracle single in mono?

It is the same as the rare live video, I remember when i got the cd single with the vhs when released, I transfered the audio of rare live to cassette and they sounded identical because I had space on the cassette, so I thought i would stick the Cd version as a bonus mix, exactly the same and sounded like they had taken the audio from the video to make the cd version, I am 99% its mono ??

'Tie your mother down' without a doubt, the LP version sounds so slow and muddy to me, like they threw a blanket over the mics or something. Esp the Knebworth/Live Magic version, my all time favourite (despite the bloody edits).Also 'Spread your Wings', I think the Live Killers version is much better than the slightly twee LP version- the solo is superior, the sing a long is spine tingling and Freddie sings it with more emotion I reckon.On the whole I think the only songs that aren't matched or improved by their live versions are those which are more about the 'record' than the 'song' if you know what I mean.. stuff like 'Killer Queen', 'Bicycle Race', 'Radio Gaga', 'AOBTD', where the sound and production is a big part of the appeal. That's not to say they probably weren't fantastic to watch/hear live, but I don't think they work as well on a live DVD or CD.

Pingu wrote:'Tie your mother down' without a doubt, the LP version sounds so slow and muddy to me, like they threw a blanket over the mics or something. Esp the Knebworth/Live Magic version, my all time favourite (despite the bloody edits).Also 'Spread your Wings', I think the Live Killers version is much better than the slightly twee LP version- the solo is superior, the sing a long is spine tingling and Freddie sings it with more emotion I reckon.On the whole I think the only songs that aren't matched or improved by their live versions are those which are more about the 'record' than the 'song' if you know what I mean.. stuff like 'Killer Queen', 'Bicycle Race', 'Radio Gaga', 'AOBTD', where the sound and production is a big part of the appeal. That's not to say they probably weren't fantastic to watch/hear live, but I don't think they work as well on a live DVD or CD.

I generally agree with your general point there but I think Radio GaGa was far better live - on the Magic Tour at least. Much more energy and passion than the studio version.

For some reason, Now I'm Here just seemed to gain pace over the years, almost like 4/4 time, to 6/4, by the time they hit the Magic Tour. Something I've seen with a few bands, and their live renditions of songs.

Try comparing the versions from Hammie 75, to Live Killers, and then LAW. By the time you get to 86, it's turned into a race.

What is left of your dream?Just the words on your stone.A man who learnt how to teach,But forgot how to learn.

Kes wrote:For some reason, Now I'm Here just seemed to gain pace over the years, almost like 4/4 time, to 6/4, by the time they hit the Magic Tour. Something I've seen with a few bands, and their live renditions of songs.

Try comparing the versions from Hammie 75, to Live Killers, and then LAW. By the time you get to 86, it's turned into a race.

Stone Cold Crazy is a classic example. Compare the Rainbow 74 version to the Houston 77 version. I actually think it sounds even more impressive when played ultra-fast though, really heavy and thrashy.

Kes wrote:For some reason, Now I'm Here just seemed to gain pace over the years, almost like 4/4 time, to 6/4, by the time they hit the Magic Tour. Something I've seen with a few bands, and their live renditions of songs.

Try comparing the versions from Hammie 75, to Live Killers, and then LAW. By the time you get to 86, it's turned into a race.

I've noticed that too. By 1986 it sounds like they're trying to play faster than Metallica. But it works!

mab wrote:...I think Radio GaGa was far better live - on the Magic Tour at least. Much more energy and passion than the studio version.

This was almost verbatim of what I was thinking when I read the beginning of the thread....the only difference is I don't really like the recorded song at all, but the live version is actually enjoyable for me.

I'm sure Roger was delighted that Now I'm Here became faster over the years - he claims it was the most difficult song to play live. It's worth noting that by the time of the Magic tour it was sandwiched between Brian's solo and the acoustic set presumably to give Roger a rest before and after the song.

The one that I found gained most - to my ears anyway- live was "I Want To Break Free". Always found it fairly meh on the album but we've been learning it lately and I've spent more time than I really should trawling YouTube looking for different live clips to work out chords from. I'm not a great fan of synths (I detest electronic keyboards, being a pianist!) and moving those chords onto the guitar was the best thing that could have happened to that song.

Avradoorn wrote:The one that I found gained most - to my ears anyway- live was "I Want To Break Free". Always found it fairly meh on the album but we've been learning it lately and I've spent more time than I really should trawling YouTube looking for different live clips to work out chords from. I'm not a great fan of synths (I detest electronic keyboards, being a pianist!) and moving those chords onto the guitar was the best thing that could have happened to that song.

Fellow musician I take it, V? Back in early June, after getting overexcited watching "Days of our Lives" and simultaneously consuming half a bottle of port, I found myself lead guitarist in a Queen tribute band. Being from the north-East, we're called "Seven Seas of Whey Aye" (should be a familiar term to those who know the dulcet tones of Cheryl Cole and Ant n'Dec...eek!). Only problem is...I'm a bassist, really. Actually, first and foremost I'm a bloody pianist, and a servicable bassist rather than a good 'un, so how the heck I ended up being the Brian has escaped me, no doubt due to alcohol consumption...and being a pig-headed type, rather than back out, leave three very good and very enthusiastic musicians disappointed and, well, walk away from something that's been a bit of a dream for years, I decided to MAKE myself into a proper guitarist, from a five-chord disaster zone. Sounds a tall order? Well, I reasoned that I'm a pro musician and I teach piano and pipe organ so it shouldn't be too bad, signed up for lessons with somebody who actually knows what they're doing and thankfully I've been flying ever since. The only thing that's scared me witless so far is the solo from "I Want It All", but it's getting there...oh and falling off my clogs, then getting my hair caught in my strings during "Love of my Life" in rehearsal...that was scary... (yesssss, we dress up...) I'm really appreciating the differences between songs-in-studio and songs-done-live for the first time. The amount of adapting, arranging and fiddling about to make things feasible is remarkable- I ended up in tears trying to do the twiddly-twiddly bits (if it ain't a technical term then it should be!) on "In Love With My Car", then poked around YouTube and realised they were multitracked anyway...d'uh...likewise some of the guitar overdubs on "Son and Daughter" that I'd been struggling with. I always felt that some songs had a different feel live, but put it down to just, erm, being live. It's been a right eye-opener dissecting all that.